Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Maxie
Tagged: Film.
US movie (1985). Orion/Aurora/Elsboy/Carter De Haven. Pr Carter De Haven. Exec pr Rich Irvine, James L Stewart. Dir Paul Aaron. Vfx Bill Taylor. Screenplay Patricia Resnick. Based on Marion's Wall (1973) by Jack Finney. Starring Glenn Close (Jan/Maxie Malone), Ruth Gordon (Trudy Lavin), Mandy Patinkin (Nick). 90 mins. Colour.
The time is 1985. A young couple (Jan and Nick) discover the apartment they've just moved into was once occupied by 1927 potential movie star Maxie, killed in a car accident before she could get her big break. For the next few weeks Maxie occasionally occupies Jan's body – so that Nick has an odd form of adultery – while once again clawing herself to a starring role. That achieved, Maxie returns to whatever Afterlife she came from.
This is a minor Identity-Exchange tale – readable also as a tale of Possession – in which no one really shines, although Close does well with her dual role. [JG]